News

Strasbourg, May 19, 2010 - Today, with the release of Neelie Kroes' Digital Agenda, the European Commission is unveiling major policy orientations regarding Internet-related policies. Several leaked drafts of the document revealed heavy pressures from various special interest groups. While the general outcome of the final document is encouraging, the crucial question of interoperability and open standards was eventually arbitrated in favour of US software vendors' positions. On IPR enforcement and cybercrime, the worst has been avoided but some very ambiguous wording remains.

Paris, May 17th 2010 - On Tuesday May 18th, the Commission's Digital Agenda will be released. This important document will define the European Union's future policies on the Internet and other communications technologies. A leaked draft showed that major policy orientations remained to be arbitrated in advance of the release. Although much of the document puts forward very sensible and positive proposals, potential mentions of dogmatic copyright enforcement and Internet filtering could be sneaked in the final document at the last minute. Will the rights and freedoms of EU citizens be protected?

Strasbourg, May 17th 2010 - 185 signatures already, 184 left for an absolute majority! The Written Declaration 12 (WD12) on the ACTA agreement is still open for signatures from Members of the European Parliament (MEPs); it is now halfway completed. By setting red lines to the EU negotiators, it addresses key issues of the right to a fair trial and liability of Internet service providers. This week is a plenary week in Strasbourg, where MEPs will have an occasion to sign it.

“Article 11 of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen of 1789 proclaims : "The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious rights of man. Every citizen may thus speak, write and publish freely, except when such freedom is misused in cases determined by Law". In the current state of the means of communication and given the generalized development of public online communication services and the importance of the latter for the participation in democracy and the expression of ideas and opinions, this right implies freedom to access such services. ” - Conseil Constitutionnel, decision 2009-580 (§ 12)

Strasbourg, April 21st, 2010 - The release of the public draft of ACTA1 is a milestone in the long opposition to this illegitimate agreement, which aims at tackling trademark, copyright and patent infringements. Now, citizens, NGOs and parliaments all around the world must continue to act together to expose ACTA and its dangers. This whole policy laundering is incompatible with democracy and the ideals of preserving fundamental rights, Internet, public health and innovation at large.

Strasbourg, April 19th, 2010 - On Wednesday, the countries negotiating ACTA will release a draft text of this agreement aimed at tackling trademark, patent and copyright infringements. This important step in favor of transparency should not divert elected representatives around the world from exerting their prerogatives by drawing clear red lines not to be crossed by negotiators. In Europe, citizens can participate in raising awareness on ACTA by helping collect signatures to Written Declaration 12.

Paris, Apr. 13th 2010 - The Gallo report on "IPR enforcement"1 is currently under heavy political pressure in the European Parliament. Some constructive amendments have been tabled, proposing to reconsider the ongoing "war on sharing" led by the cultural industries.

Paris, Apr. 12th 2010 - This week, a new round of negotiations on the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is taking place in Wellington, New Zealand. Recent leaks have revealed that the agreement aims at exporting the harshest sanctions related to copyright, patents and trademark infringement, and could turn Internet operators into a private copyright police. In addition, the whole process is an illegitimate circumvention of democracy. ACTA must be stopped.

Paris, March 29th, 2010 - One after the other, leaked documents unveil the truth regarding the negotiations of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Public comments focus on specific points or nuances in the positions of the various negotiating parties. In this context of partial information, La Quadrature du Net stresses three core reasons for rejecting the principle of ACTA itself: policy laundering; a "one-size-fits-all" approach that confuses different domains or activities in a manner that is dangerous for access to knowledge, health and innovation; strong risks for fundamental rights such as freedom of expression.

One after the other, leaked documents unveil the truth regarding the negotiations of the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). Public comments focus on specific points or nuances in the positions of the various negotiating parties. In this context of partial information, La Quadrature du Net stresses three core reasons for rejecting the principle of ACTA itself: policy laundering; a "one-size-fits-all" approach that confuses different domains or activities in a manner that is dangerous for access to knowledge, health and innovation; strong risks for fundamental rights such as freedom of expression.

Brussels, March 22nd, 2010 - With the current debates surrounding the Gallo Report on "Intellectual Property Rights" (IPR) enforcement1 and rumours about an imminent revival of the IPR criminal enforcement directive (IPRED2), a holy war is taking place in the European Parliament. Members of the Parliament are being flooded with false figures and statistics from the entertainment industries' intensive lobbying. They are also being heavily pressured by the French authorities. Will the European Parliament hear the cries of the Copyright Talibans and renounce to protect EU citizens fundamental freedoms?

1. The Gallo report will be debated on Tuesday, March 23rd in the JURI committee.

Strasbourg, March 10th, 2010 - The European Parliament massively approved a common resolution1 opposing the current negotiation process regarding the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). This resolution2 is an important call for transparency and the respect of democratic processes. In the coming weeks, the Parliament will have the opportunity to further address the actual content of the negotiated text through the written declaration 12/20103.

Strasbourg, March 8th, 2010 - Tonight, the JURI committee of the European Parliament will discuss the amendments tabled on the Gallo report1. This initiative report2 is a response to a communication of the Commission on "intellectual property rights" enforcement, which La Quadrature has already strongly criticized. To make sure that the Parliament promote the interest of European citizens, the report must be profoundly revised.

1. Update, March 10th: At the last minute, the meeting was postponed to a future date. The reasons for this delay remain undetermined.

2. A non-legislative position of the European Parliament preparing or encouraging a legislative initiative